PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Rocksteady (ranked 4812 p4p, 3192 weight class) and Udonis Okoro (ranked 470 p4p, 381 weight class). Rocksteady comes to the cage accompanied by Red Right Hand. Okoro has chosen The HU - Sad But True as his entrance music. Udonis Okoro has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rocksteady
vs
Okoro

170 cm
27
190
10 - 9 - 0

192 cm
26
200
5 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Rocksteady!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Udonis Okoro!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Okoro lands with a nice combination. Rocksteady backs away looking to recover.

It looks like James Rocksteady has been cut.
Rocksteady fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Rocksteady gets tackled into the cage by Okoro. Okoro maintains the clinch.
Okoro throws a punch but it's blocked by Rocksteady.

Rocksteady manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rocksteady wants to sweep here but Okoro controlling him for the moment.
Rocksteady is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Okoro chips away with some ground and pound.
Okoro landing some decent shots from guard.
Okoro scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rocksteady is trying to keep Okoro in close.

Rocksteady has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Okoro can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Okoro postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Okoro wants to control from the top but Rocksteady keeps moving.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Okoro working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Rocksteady is adopting a defensive guard.
Rocksteady trying to control the position.
Okoro connects with a couple of short punches.
Okoro scoring with some ground and pound.

Rocksteady throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Rocksteady is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Okoro defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Okoro postures up and lands a big shot to Rocksteady's brow.
Okoro trying to control the position from guard on top but Rocksteady is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rocksteady is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Okoro is aware though and is defending well.
Rocksteady is pulling down on Okoro's head. It's preventing any offense from Okoro, at least for the moment.
Okoro with a nice head shot there.
Okoro in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Okoro loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocksteady controls Okoro momentarily but Okoro frees himself.
Rocksteady being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Okoro tries to clinch but Rocksteady moves out of range.
Rocksteady avoids the head kick by Okoro.
Okoro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rocksteady swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rocksteady drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Rocksteady got a little sloppy there for a moment and Okoro has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rocksteady has managed to get both his arms back between Okoro's legs - danger averted.
Rocksteady stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Okoro swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Okoro is trying to keep Rocksteady in close.
Rocksteady has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Okoro looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rocksteady is looking to work some ground and pound but Okoro has wrist control.
Rocksteady pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Okoro is keeping the position for now.
Okoro is trying to control the position but Rocksteady postures up.
Okoro is controlling Rocksteady's posture.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rocksteady is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Udonis Okoro dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Rocksteady's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Okoro takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Okoro tries to close the distance and clinch but Rocksteady swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rocksteady feinted with a counter takedown.

Okoro is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rocksteady's half guard.
Okoro prevents Rocksteady from improving his position.
Rocksteady keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rocksteady keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rocksteady is trying to control but can't.
Okoro has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rocksteady is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Okoro's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Okoro's back!
Okoro tries to escape the position.
Okoro keeps trying to improve his position.
Okoro trying to control the hands but Rocksteady won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocksteady keeps control of the position as Okoro tries to break free.
Okoro trying to control the hands but Rocksteady won't let him.
Rocksteady is trying to stick to Okoro's back but Okoro is turning into Rocksteady. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Rocksteady's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Okoro.

Rocksteady escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Okoro gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Okoro loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Okoro postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Okoro showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rocksteady looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rocksteady wants to sweep here but Okoro controlling him for the moment.
Okoro wants to pass the guard but Rocksteady is keeping the position.
Rocksteady preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Udonis Okoro has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rocksteady not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Rocksteady is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Okoro passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Okoro is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Okoro seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Okoro throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Okoro escapes and gets back to his feet.
Okoro tries to clinch but Rocksteady moves away

and Rocksteady counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Rocksteady works his way into full mount!
Rocksteady controlling from mount.
Rocksteady looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rocksteady is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Okoro has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Okoro is desperately trying to improve his position but Rocksteady has a good base and remains in mount.
Okoro regains half guard.
Rocksteady slips a nice elbow through Okoro's hands, connecting with Okoro's forehead.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rocksteady is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Rocksteady is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Okoro trying to control but Rocksteady postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that James Rocksteady will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on James Rocksteady's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Okoro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rocksteady swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Okoro darts in and clinches Rocksteady up against the cage.
Rocksteady takes a shot to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Okoro.
Okoro is trying to break the clinch but Rocksteady has him pressed against the cage.
Okoro has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rocksteady is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Okoro working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rocksteady.

Okoro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rocksteady shoots in but Okoro avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Okoro moves in looking to clinch but Rocksteady pushes him off.
Okoro scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Rocksteady circles away from the clinch attempt.
Udonis Okoro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Okoro misses with a takedown

and Rocksteady counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Okoro pushes Rocksteady off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rocksteady scores with a takedown into Okoro's guard.
Okoro has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rocksteady trying to control but Okoro is working from the bottom.
Rocksteady wants to pass the guard but Okoro is keeping the position.
Okoro wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Okoro is trying to control the position but Rocksteady postures up.
Okoro keeping moving, preventing Rocksteady from controlling successfully.
Okoro is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Okoro missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Okoro works his way into side control.
Rocksteady manages to work his way to half guard, despite Okoro's best efforts.
Rocksteady has hold of Okoro's hands but Okoro slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Okoro connects with a nice short shot to Rocksteady's temple.
Rocksteady has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Okoro is working away from the top position though.
Okoro lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Okoro is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rocksteady has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Okoro is controlling the pace.
Rocksteady might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rocksteady wants to improve his position but Okoro is controlling well.

Okoro is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rocksteady sees it coming and defends easily.
Okoro thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rocksteady is positioning himself well to prevent Okoro advancing to mount.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Okoro connects with a nice short shot to Rocksteady's temple.
Rocksteady is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Okoro throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Okoro scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Rocksteady is holding on to half guard well.
Rocksteady wants to control but Okoro is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Okoro lands with a punch from half guard.
Rocksteady tries to get to full guard but Okoro has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Udonis Okoro comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Okoro has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Udonis Okoro!